Currently, in the CIS and Russia, Echinacea is cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant. The healing properties of Echinacea purpurea are contained in its flowers, roots and leaves.
Composition and medicinal properties
In Echinacea contains biologically active substances, this is what determines its immunomodulatory properties. The composition of Echinacea - polysaccharides, resins, essential oils, organic acids and phytosterols (also fatty polyunsaturated), saponins, glycosides, tannins, alkaloids. Polyenes are substances that destroy some kinds of fungi. Phenolic acids have antiseptic properties.
In the roots and roots of Echinacea contains glucose, inulin, tar, fatty and essential oil, betaine - a substance that can prevent the development of stroke and heart attack. It contains phenolcarbonic acids, which have diuretic properties and strengthen immunity.
All parts of Echinacea contain a large amount of mineral substances, also rare, often lacking in our diet - potassium, calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and also silver, molybdenum, cobalt, chlorine, aluminum, magnesium, iron, nickel, barium, vanadium, beryllium.
Echinacea has antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, immunomodulating, antiviral, antirheumatic actions.
Application and treatment
Areas of application of Echinacea are many. Her medications are prescribed even for small children from 2-3 years of age. So, Echinacea preparations are used for flu, colds, bladder diseases, ear infections, blood infections, mononucleosis. Good preparations of echinacea and with liver diseases, diabetes, chronic inflammatory processes. Also taken from the effects of chemicals - pesticides, heavy metals, insecticides, fungicides. In addition, Echinacea preparations are good after radiation therapy and chemotherapy, after treatment with antibiotics.
Apply echinacea and externally with skin diseases - herpes, hives, eczema, wounds, boils, abscesses, insect bites, burns. With the bites of snakes, psoriasis, streptococcal infections make lotions from the decoction of echinacea.
Echinacea not only strengthens the immune system, it is capable of destroying some bacteria and viruses. For example, the extract of Echinacea can delay the multiplication of viruses of herpes, influenza, stomatitis, staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli. And this shows that echinacea is a unique antibiotic that nature has given us.
Echinacea preparations showed good results with prostatitis, female diseases, upper respiratory tract diseases, polyarthritis, osteomyelitis.
And although to date the composition and properties of purple Echinacea have been studied quite well, nevertheless, it is believed that this plant has not been fully studied.
The most known actions of polysaccharides - hemicellulose and cellulose, starch, pectin and inulin. They will help the human body to fight viruses, purify the tissue from the affected cells, because they have a stimulating effect on the production of T-lymphocytes, increasing the activity of white blood cells. Polysaccharides protect our cells from infections, prevent viruses and bacteria from getting inside, they just surround it, this action is called immunostimulating. Polysaccharide echinacin increases immunity to viruses and bacteria, eliminates microbes and fungi, reduces pain, suppresses inflammation, helps accelerate tissue healing. In addition, polysaccharides accelerate the regeneration of tissues.
Echinacea contains caffeic acid glycosides, which accelerates recovery in viral and infectious diseases. Derivatives of caffeic acid are characterized by increased biological activity - they have antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects - they can even delay the development of metastases; reduce the level of toxins; destroy mold and fungi.
Oxycoric acids, which are contained in echinacea - the active substances that have a pronounced anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect, improve the work of the liver and kidneys; in the blood reduce the number of products of nitrogen metabolism, and as a result, the prevention of the development of chronic diseases.
Echinacea does not allow the destruction of hyaluronic acid, filling the space between cells, does not allow the spread of bacteria and viruses. Inulin increases the activity of leukocytes, destroys viruses.
Folk recipes for treatment
Accept echinacea in a variety of species. For example, tea is taken for colds, inflammations, flu. After treatment with antibiotics, suffered severe diseases and / or surgeries; with ulcers, abscesses and eczema.
Decoction of echinacea is taken for colds, flu, it will also help with swelling, pain in the joints, headache, stomach ulcer. The broth improves vision, stimulates appetite, normalizes blood pressure. Also, the broth has a general strengthening and toning effect. Prepare the broth - 1 teaspoon of chopped dry or fresh leaves of echinacea is poured with one glass of water, then we warm it for half an hour in a water bath, insist, filter and take inward to eat three times a day for 1/3 cup.
Spirituous tincture of Echinacea is more known today than other preparations. Tincture can not only be bought at the pharmacy, but also prepared on your own at home. We take dry or fresh finely chopped leaves of echinacea, we fill them with alcohol or vodka at the rate of 1: 10, we insist 10 days. We take up to 25-30 drops of food three times a day before meals. Tincture is useful for peptic ulcer and gastritis, constipation, vasospasms, kidney and bladder diseases, inflammatory processes of the female genital area, prostate adenoma, and as a means of improving health and metabolism.
Echinacea purpurea has found its application in cosmetology. It is used for the treatment of skin diseases - acne, ulcers, warts; to remove age spots and freckles. For this, the problem areas of the skin, best for the night, are smeared with fresh Echinacea juice, and after a while you will achieve complete skin cleansing.
Contraindications to the use of Echinacea - allergy to Echinacea, pregnancy, lactation, patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatism, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, and tuberculosis. Tincture can not be taken with acute angina.